Commercially successful photos

Adrian Wirz
Jan 5
6 min read

In this blog post, I'll show you three commercially very successful photos. You'll learn what it takes to achieve them and how you can do it yourself.

In June 2024, an advertising agency called me and asked if I didn't have a photo of lupins in the Engadine in my extensive collection?

I declined, but I knew where to find these lupins at Lake Sils. We agreed on a price for two photos in TIFF format. I'm actually rather reluctant to sell photos before they've even been taken. But these lupins had been on my list for a long time, and the spot isn't exactly around the corner. I checked in early summer to see if they were already in bloom, asking a friend who's an amateur photographer. He advised me to go within the next two or three days. I set off the very next day. I've written the story behind it in a separate blog post . It was a perfect fit. These days, I sell these lupin photos quite often. Want to see a failed attempt ? Or something to make you smile? Here you go!

No sooner had I posted this photo on Facebook than I received two inquiries by email. A Swiss magazine wanted to pay 500 Swiss francs, and a private individual wanted to have it made into a wall print; he lives in a castle. The magazine had contacted me a few years ago about an Engadine photo and, then as now, wanted the full resolution in TIFF format. After checking with some of my fellow photographers, which went quite well, I sent the magazine this photo. To this day, I haven't heard a thing from them! No thank you, nothing at all. But that was the same with the Engadine photos back then. If this magazine, or rather the lady responsible for it, is reading this: A photo from me now costs 990 Swiss francs. I charged the private individual less, as always with the stipulation that he may not resell it in any way. After that, there was radio silence for two weeks. Then another email arrived, and he wanted to buy it now. Of course, I did some research beforehand. The result was that he's a local councilor in Trachselwald. I'll make an exception and not mention his name. He wanted to know where I took the photo from. I didn't think much of it, because if you live in a castle with a view of the location, finding it should be easy, I thought... apparently, the councilman had some trouble with it. Yes, geography isn't as simple as it sometimes seems. But you guessed it: I never heard from that councilman again! But who knows, maybe he commissioned you to take the photo at a lower price? Or maybe he was lying in wait himself early in the morning with his mobile phone camera? Anyway, I never forget things like that. Nevertheless, I was able to sell this photo, or a similar one, a few times. Photos of the Emmental or Basel-Landschaft regions are always in demand! But back to the so-called "money shots."

This photo was conceived back in 2011, but only in my mind. In the 80s, I lived not far from this waterfall, in Zeglingen; I could practically hear it rushing in my living room. Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration. But I could see its approximate location from my patio. I was often at this idyllic spot in the beautiful Upper Basel region. Even with my Collie, I often enjoyed the cool, shady place. The idea for the wild garlic photo first came to me in 2011. The field was still quite small back then, but already usable. In 2018, I was finally able to take my photo; it was a rainy Sunday. In the meantime, this photo has become a real hit. Since a well-known company in Upper Basel started offering this photo as a shower screen, or simply as a display behind glass in the bathroom, it's been selling like hotcakes. A few years ago, I received an inquiry from the largest Swiss daily newspaper. They wanted to buy one or two photos if I posed with a tripod and camera in front of this waterfall. Insiders know that there's an old sewage treatment plant just above it, and it's particularly overwhelmed during floods. This is common knowledge, and that's the story they wanted to run. No, I wasn't going to do that. After that, they only wanted to pay 100 Swiss francs per photo, using the pandemic as an excuse. We didn't strike a deal. Of course, one of my most financially successful photos is the one of the linden tree in front of the Schreckhorn. Especially after this article in all the major daily newspapers: the Berner Zeitung.

As I've written elsewhere, this is probably the photo that has brought me the most publicity. And, of course, it's also extremely lucrative financially. I've been following landscape photography for about 14 years now, and it's interesting to see the different paths photographers take. There's the photographer with an incredibly large portfolio, but a website that hasn't been updated since 1291. I think in this day and age, you should keep all your channels up-to-date; perhaps things will change again, and customers will want to see "real" photos again? Others cultivate a rather dark and depressive style. I wonder, who would hang something like that on their wall, or which newspaper/magazine would subject its predominantly older readership to this style? Sure, this style stands out brilliantly from the haphazard snapping of other photographers. Perhaps it's still possible to make money with workshops. But what if the workshops become obsolete? Then there's the perfectionist; this photographer dedicated himself to the perfect photo right from the start—everything just fits perfectly. He pursues his path persistently. Not that he's constantly releasing new images, no, even an unassuming subject gains a new brilliance through his lens. But what pretty much all of them have in common is that when you open a photo on their website, the image appears postage stamp-sized, okay, slightly larger. A few months ago, when it came to selling a lupine photo, I asked the co-owner of a large Zurich advertising and marketing company in a phone conversation what she looks for when buying a photo. She answered me something like this: First, the subject should be suitable; they can't use half-baked images. Then, the photo should be large on the respective website so she can get a first impression. But last but not least, she wants to see the photo in its original size to see if it's suitable for her project. Yes, the file size is irrelevant; whether it's 20MB or 240MB makes no difference. What does matter, however, is the camera's megapixel count. The lens or camera brand is only of marginal interest to them, if at all. Sure, they can upscale a photo, but if they don't have to, all the better. That's why I've long maintained: nothing beats displacement (MP), like even more displacement. No, not really... But thankfully, camera manufacturers have now settled on sensors ranging from 42 to 60 MP. What can you do to stand out or differentiate yourself from the crowd?

Do you want to make money with your photos? If so, it will be difficult. Many other photographers have dominated certain markets for years. It takes a huge effort to break into them. If you have a regular income, give it a try! But it requires a lot of effort and is extremely time-consuming. First, try publishing your photos in a regional daily newspaper, again and again. But they should be photos that stand out from the rest. A photo taken around midday will hardly get you noticed. And you're unlikely to get rich with a picture of Lake Staz. I think it's one of the most photographed subjects in Switzerland.

Find suitable subjects in your region, look at other photos, and you'll soon realize what's important. With time and patience, you'll find exciting subjects close to home. Photograph them again and again! In rain, snow, spring, or even during a thunderstorm. Be persistent and pursue your goal. You know that commercial with the duvets? "Hello, my name is Fischer..." The same ad for 10 years now; I think it works for them. That doesn't mean you should photograph the same tree for 10 years. I'm sure you'll find your subjects in your region, so keep at it! Sure, not everyone has the Bölchen mountain right on their doorstep, but it was only through my persistence that it became a photographer's hotspot. Is that desirable? Yes and no. It gives you a huge boost in popularity, but many will consider the region overdone, some out of envy because they were already photographing there in 1291 but didn't recognize its potential. Others will emphasize nature conservation, because it's teeming with photographers, especially in autumn and winter. But these are usually just excuses. Don't let them deter you!